


Cold as Ice

by iloveitblue



Series: Prompts [420]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: AU, Ice Skating AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 23:36:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19030246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveitblue/pseuds/iloveitblue
Summary: The one where Natasha needs a new skating partner so she enlists Clint.





	Cold as Ice

**Author's Note:**

> I know jackshit about ice skating, okay? so this is the part where you suspend disbelief. Stop the video at 3:05 btw

“Honestly, Tasha, what even makes you think your coach is gonna let me be your partner?” Clint jogged to catch up to Natasha, entering the rink. The cold air quickly soaked through his skin and he had to zip his hoodie up. “I thought he was a hard-ass.”

“He is.” Natasha answered nonchalantly as she placed her bag down and started doing mild stretches. “But he’s also one of the best coaches in the country. Which means, if he thinks you’re good enough to be my partner, then you’re good enough to win us a gold medal.”

“So, no pressure” Clint said, rolling his eyes at her and dropping his bag next to Natasha’s things. 

“Exactly.” Natasha clapped him on the back and turned to the two gentlemen talking amongst themselves on the bleachers. “Coach Coulson! Over here! I brought you fresh meat.”

Clint resisted the urge to groan at being called ‘fresh meat’ and focused on looking presentable. Coulson, the shorter man of the two, mousy brown hair, and crow’s feet on the corner of his eyes, said something to the other guy before walking over towards where Natasha and Clint were.

“Romanov, you’re 10 minutes late.” He said, in lieu of a greeting. “Start your warming up on the ice.” 

“Yessiiiiir” Natasha drawled, but did as she was told anyway. 

Clint felt like he should be standing at attention when Coulson looked him up and down. His gaze was so intense that it was like Coulson was trying to size him up for his costume with just his eyes. 

“-ame?” Clint shook his head as his ears caught the tail end of a question. 

“Sorry?” 

“Your name. What is it?” Coulson asked again, his crow’s feet deepening as he smirked.

“Clint. Clint Barton.” 

“Okay. And how do you know Natasha, Clint?” 

“We have a few classes in uni together.” 

“And you skate?” 

“Not competitively, but I know how to.” 

“He used to run with acrobats and gymnasts, he’s pretty flexible!” Natasha said as she passed them both by, waggling her eyebrows for good measure. How kind of Natasha to announce to the entire rink that he’s ‘ _flexible’_. Clint felt his face heat and tried not to hide behind his hands. Instead, he just closed his eyes and sighed. 

“Do you know any moves?” Coulson asked, as if he didn’t hear anything Natasha had said. 

“I know the names of the common skating moves, and I can probably land them 40% of the time.” Clint explained. His foster mom was a retired ice skater so he learned from her. 

“He’s lying! I haven’t seen him fall on his ass yet!” Natasha yelled again as she skated by. 

“Natasha’s comments aside, I think I’d like to see you skate for myself.“

“Um- Natasha and I actually practiced her routine from last year to show you. If you’d like, we could do that.” Clint offered. “We thought since you were probably going to be partnering me up with Natasha if I do manage to impress you, then I might as well show you what I can do with couples skating, right?”

“You can do the whole routine?” Coulson asked. 

“It might not be up to your standards yet, but I’ve definitely got the steps down.” 

“Good. You’re skating with me.” Coulson nodded.

“Wait, but- It’s Natasha’s piece isn’t it?” 

“Don’t worry. I choreographed it, and trained her. I probably know that routine just as much as she does. And what better way to assess your skills than to skate with you.”

—

Clint shook the nerves off, and entered the ice. Coulson had everyone get off the ice, so they could move freely. That meant that everyone who was practicing was now watching Clint and Coulson, probably waiting for Clint to mess up so they could go back to practicing. 

Clint turned to where Natasha was in a final attempt of salvation but the redhead just gave him two thumbs up. 

He’s got nothing to worry about. He’s done this routine with Natasha enough times, that he should be able to do it relatively well. Just… please don’t let him drop Coulson. 

“Ready?” Coulson asked, mirth twinkling in his eyes. 

“No.” Clint answered automatically. 

“Great. Let’s do this.” Coulson took his coat off and so did Clint. He took Clint’s hand and led them both to the center where they laid down. 

Clint was staring up at the ceiling, and Coulson was beside him, curled into himself and away from Clint. [The music started ](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2FeysNtspIDWs%3Ft%3D26&t=NGNkYzk2ODE3YTAxODAwODk4MTVjZDJkNDE5ODUxYTc4OTRiMzgxYSxEcFFsODhMRQ%3D%3D&b=t%3A8kdTHY31aeLJ6uyoShUaTw&p=https%3A%2F%2Fpromptmephlint.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F185252267286%2Fthis-is-not-a-yuri-on-iceau-because-its-been&m=1)and Phil rolled over to straddle Clint and quickly roll off to his other side. Clint did the same but got up just as he straddled Coulson. Phil arched his back and spread his arms as he sat up, letting Clint pull him up and in an embrace. Phil put his arms behind Clint’s head, holding on as Clint picked him up and spun them around. 

Phil gave Clint a small curtsy as he was placed gingerly back on the ice. He gave Clint his right hand, and Clint took it, his left hand resting on Phil’s hip. They skated like that, looking like they were lovers walking hand-in-hand in a park. 

The routine was a story about lovers who were beginning to drift apart, reminiscing the times when they were still very much in love. Which was probably why a lot of the moves had them pulling at each other to get closer, Phil clinging to Clint, or Clint holding on to Phil. The only real time they weren’t holding on to each other was when they had to dance in sync near the end of the song, and even then, they were only apart for maybe fifteen seconds out of a three minute routine before they were back to holding each other’s hands. 

In the last few seconds of the song, Clint let go of Phil and skated on his own, leaving Phil to follow him and catch up. As soon as Phil was in front of Clint, he put his hands on Clint’s face, cradling it, and bringing their foreheads together, their lips only inches apart. Clint placed one hand on top of Phil’s holding it in place, and the other was on the small of his back, pulling Phil closer to him. 

They stayed like that until the song faded. Frozen in place with the other’s touch, gaze, and breaths. It felt like they couldn’t move away. They didn’t want to. They stared at each other, silently daring the other to move first, a dangerous game of chicken. Clint’s eyes darted to Phil’s lips, tempting him to move. Phil continued to stare, waiting. 

The people on the bleachers started cheering, breaking whatever it was that kept them from moving, and they broke apart. Clint heaved a big sigh of relief and smiled at Coulson. 

Coulson gave him an approving nod, and held his hand out. “Welcome to the team, Clint. I look forward to working with you and Natasha.” Clint took his hand and shook it. “Okay, everyone, back to practice.” 

Everybody started filing in to the ice, returning to their respective practice areas. 

Clint remained where he was, still processing what had happened. 

“You know,” Natasha said as she approached him, circling him like the shark that she was, “I’m pretty sure that routine was supposed to end with the two of you lying on the floor. Not Touching. like  _at all_.”

Clint opened his mouth to explain himself but closed it right back for a lack of an excuse.

Natasha laughed at him.

**Author's Note:**

> [Here on tumblr](https://promptmephlint.tumblr.com/post/185252267286/this-is-not-a-yuri-on-iceau-because-its-been)


End file.
